smith



H. S. SMITH. SUNSHADB FOB. BABY GARRIAGES.

(No Model.)

Patented Mar. 20, 1888.

W a0/M l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT S. SMITH, OF NFV YORK, N. Y.

SUNSHADE FOR BABY-CARRIAGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,734. dated March20,1888.

Application filed December 23, 1887, Serial No. 258.793.

ject of my invention is to provide a sunshade A riage.

or protection to the child, which is supported adjustably at twoopposite points in such manner that either front or back may be raisedor lowered and secured, or the cover tilted sidewise between thesepoints, as desired.

I employ two vertical rods placed at the opposite ends or sides of thecarriagebody and secured thereto, and between these rods I sus` pend acover or shade which is connected adjnstably by clamps to the verticalrods, these clamps being secured to strips at the ends of' andsupporting the cover or awning at opposite points, and, beingadjustable, permit ofthe awning or cover being raised or lowered ateither the front or back of the carriage, as may be desired, and theclamp also permits of tilting the cover or awning to either side of thecarriage in order to shade the baby from direct sunlight, and theseclamps hold the cover rigidly in place.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved sunshadeor cover and of the upper part of the body of a babycar- Fig. 2 is anelevation, and Fig. 3 is a cross-section, of the clamp. Fig. 4 is aparallel perspective view of a modified form of' clamp, and Fig. 5 is anelevation of the vertical rods and section of the sliding sleeves.

The carriagesbody A may be of any desired construction or material.The-vertical rods e a are secured to this carriage-body at the oppositeends or sides in any desired manner, (I have shown them secured atopposite ends,) and these rods may be capable of' being tilted andsecured at an inclination, il' desired; and said rods may be providedwithjoints or hinges and sliding sleeves at ai, Fig. 5, whichjoints andsleeves are similar to those employed on parasols.

The sunshade or awning B is composed of flexible fabrics of' any desiredcharacter, and

(No model.)

may be made any shape. I, however, show and prefer one of rectangularshape. The fabric of the sunshade is secured at opposite ends to thestrips b b', and the border at the sides and ends ofthe fabric dependsfrom'tlie main strip of fabric composing the top, and this border ofthefabric may be ornamcnted with fringe or lace. These strips b b are shownstraight; but they may be bow-shaped and placed either vertically,horizontally, or at an angle. The adjustable clamps C are each composedof a holdfast, c, secured at its ends by screws passing into the stripb. There is an eye, el, surrounding the vertical rod a, and this eye dhas a screw-stem, e, passing through the hole in the holdfast c, andupon this screw-stem e there is a washer,f, and butteriiy clamping-nutg, which bear against the outer surface of the holdfast c, and when thenut g is revolved to clamp the parts the rod a is drawn against theinner edges of the holdfast c, and the parts are thus held together inany desired position in which they may be placed.

The holdfast c is preferably of cast metal of the shape shown in Figs. 1and 2, having a central part, 1, end ears, 2, and intermediate inclinedparts, 3 4, and said holdfast has a hole through the central part, 1,for the screw-stem e. rFhis construction of holdfast permits of 8ogiving to the flexible top a tilting motion sidewise to any desiredangle, as well as a vertical motion at either or both ends upon the rodsa a.

If desired, I may employ a single clamp such as shown in Figs. 1 and 2in connection with a sunshade of any character to secure the sameadjustably upon a single upright rod, such as one of the rods a.. Themodification shown in Fig. 4 illustrates a clamp wherein the holdfast cis shown bow-shaped and having a central part, 1, end ears, 2, havingholes for the screws by which the holdfast is secured to the strip b ofthe sunshade, and inclined intermediate parts, 3 4, similar to theholdfast of Figs. 2 and 3; but this form of holdfast I prefer to slothorizontally through the central and inclined parts, 1 3 4. Thisslotreceives the stem e of the eye d, and this construction permits of apartial circular or turn-table motion to the sunshade B by moving thesame and causing the stem to change its position in the slot,

IOO

Io the strips and passing around the rods a a',

whereby the awning is clamped securely in place, substantially asspecified.

2. The combination, with the carriagebody and the rods a a', connected,respectively, to

the front and back portions of the body, of the 15 flexible awning B,the strips b b at the ends of the awning, the slotted holdfasts c,connected to the strips, eyes d, surrounding the rod and having screwstems, and clamping-nuts g upon said stems, whereby the awning issecured to 2o and supported by the rods a a at tWo opposite points.substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 21st day of December, 1887.

HERBERT S. SMITH. Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, WILLIAM G. Morir.

